Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-04-20
Austin gave a restnre of nleased


1t was a new and decidedly disagreea-
bic experience to Mr.. Austin to turn
out OF bed at 4 O'Clock in the morning,
enscOnce his form in a huge ulster sup
Piled by Pinchley, and complete his
disguise with a false beard and slouch
hat drawn low over his eyes. He break
tasted at the restaurant opposite the en-
gine-house, and, as he hurried through
a tough beefsteak and swallowed
cup of muddy coffee, registered VOW
to use his influence With the stockhold-
ers of the road to bring about consid-
Grafton of the resolution they had passed
condemning the employees to patronize
the Teutonic proprietors. Coached by
the superintendent in regard to the
duties of his position, he stepped
jauntily aboard Number IL. as it ran
out of the engine-houSe. The gripman
of the dummy, slim, well-knit fellow,
clad in a coarse fustian Jacket and a
pair Of unmentionables besmeared with
oil and dirt, muffler around his chin.
and cap with broad visor slanted
over his eyes, WIS happily too much
absorbed in his own duties to observe
the change.
depended upon the early cars rs
means Of conveyance 10 their places of
business. The man of capital conceived
a new respect for the industry and energy
of his fellow-men. Moreover, he dis
covered the duties Of his position to be
more complex than he had supposed.
The offices of a street car conductor had
always seemed to him light and simple,
and in his capacity as director of the
road he has been uncompromislng in
passing upon any dereliction on the part
of this class of employees. Instead of
discharging his duties with calm and
mechanical eXactitude, he found him.
self rushing from one end of the car TO
another, in state of the highest nery-
Gus excitement, narrowly escaping the
most painful accidents and committing
minor blunders untold. If the paSsen-
gers would only observe some method in
their actions, lie told himself that the
whole business would be simplified.
What possessed people to stand idly
conversing on the sidewalk until the
car was fairly alongside giving no hint
of their desire TO take passage upon it,
berating the conductor for his negli-
gence and expecting that the grip would
be instantly loOSed and the swiftly
moving dummy brought to a quick
stop.
And the other class of lunatics, who |
frantically signalled for the car to stop |
ON steep down grade, expecting it to |
release its hold on the cable and cling to |
the track with the brakes. Several |
times lie waited an unconscionable time |
for the people TO get on the car, fumInS |
over the delay and wondering what had
become of the errant passengers, only to
discover that they had taken seats on
the dummy, out of his line of vision.
Twice he narrowly escaped committing
man-sla, ghter; and every time they
passed Dupont street, SwarminG with
its blue-frocked herds, it occurred to him
that he was in a fair way of solving the
vexed question of how to discourage
Chinese immigration.
In the midst of his agitation he cou d
not help casting an occasional glance of
admiration at the gripman, standing
coolly at his post, his attention concen-
trated upon the performance of his
duty, the athletic figure bent slightly
forward, his keen eyes never ceaSlng
their earnest scrutiny of the road.
Number IL pursued an erratic course
that day, running in outrageous defiance
of the timetable, at one moment tread
ing closely on the heels of the car
ahead. at another making desperate
forward spurt as it heard the warning
bell of the dummy in the rear. 1t
seemed to Austin that on one occasion as
they passed the Office he caught brief
glimpse of Pinchley's face peeping ogt
at him with rOguish eyes that detected
and enjoyed his misery. But he did not
trouble himself long over this fancy, for
the hour was drawing near when his
suspicion would be verified or diSproyed,
and he was conscious Of a growing
sense of apprehension lest his daugh-
tar's bright eyes should penetrate his
disguise and complete his discontinue.
He even had the craven spirit to wish
that something would detain her at
home in order that he might escape the
trying ordeal.
His PRAYERS were not answered. As
they passed the house on the O'Clock
trip a trim little figure, clad in dark,
wine colored dress with a cOllarette and
muff of seal-skin, ran down the steps
and waved her hand to the conductor.
Mr.. Austin was so overcome by guilty
sense of his anomalous position that he |
neglected to sound the usual signal for |
stopping the car, and was profoundly |
grateful to the gripman, who brought |
the dummy to a stand-still without |
waiting for the bell to ring. Miss Hetty |
demurely ensconced herself on one OF |
the side seats OF the dummy. and the |
conductor mechanic ally rang the double |
signal for starting. The Srlpman |
stood stifly at his post without respond |
ing.
Austin repeated the signal. Still there |
WAS no corresponding motion on the |
part of the engineer. Looking up ana |
down and across the streetln the eXpec-
tation of seeing some passengers whose |
approach had been observed by the grip |
mans sharp eyes, Austin was enraged |
to see that no apparent cause existed |
for the singular delay. He sounded an
indignant summons, six double rings in |
succession. Low chuckleS reSounded |
throughout the car. y boys shrill |
voice cried out derisiyely:
"GollyI' Won't he have pretty bill |
to settle tonight" /
In his nervousness the inexperienced
conductor had been ringing the bell
punch instead OF pulling the strap. lie
reached up to the latter, gave 1t sharp !
Jerk and stalked with dignity, to the
nlatform. where he sat on the rear rail-
i'm defiance of the rules of the road and
sayagely gnawed his false mustache:
An unhappy remembrance suggested
itself. Miss Hetty's fare must be COL
lected. He denounced his negligence
in having failed to provide her with a
pass as he walked through the car and
stepped out on the dummy, tapping her
gently on the shoulder,
ssFare miss?"
The girl looked up with a startled
expression, then diyed IN the depths OF
A Russian leather bag and found com
which she passed to him in silence. lie
.I,,c. ~ into his nncket and was STEP